The Fallen Hero
by HunterChic1807
Summary: HoH AU. Set post-Giant War. Gaea's children were defeated and she was sent back to eternal slumber, but at what cost? Warning: Major character death
1. My Lost Hero

**A/N: Hi guys! This is my very first fanfic about Percy Jackson. I've been a fan since book one of PJO, but I never really thought of writing about it. But a plotbunny's been bothering me so here's the result... Hope you guys enjoy it, though it is not a very happy set-up.**

**My Lost Hero**

The demigod stared blankly at the beach. Cold sea air could be felt blowing against her bare arms, but she couldn't feel it at all. If she glanced at herself, she'll see that her body was reacting to the cold, the hairs on her arms standing erect, but she wasn't paying any attention. She just couldn't feel a damn thing anymore...

A lone tear made its way down her cheeks, but she didn't move to wipe it away. She was aware of the tickling sensation, and she shuddered against her will but still, she gave no indication of noticing anything but that hollow feeling in her chest.

The waves crashed haphazardly on the coastline, sprinkling sprays of water on her. The weather was terrible, typhoons were brewing all over the world. The mortals would see it as a freak occurence in nature, but Annabeth knew better than that. Poseidon, the mighty and temperemental god of the seas, was mourning his loss, just like her. The thought tormented her more than she could ever say.

"Seaweed Brain..." the girl whispered, feeling her heart break at a million different places at once as memories crippled her on the sand at the mention of that name. Annabeth gave a choking sob, wishing the blessed numbness would return. The cold assaulted her, chilling her right to the very core of her being. Empty. That's the only word she could think of to describe herself when, at any another time in the past, she would've been indignant, furious even, if anybody called her that. Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena and counselor of the Athena cabin at Camp Half-Blood, was anything but empty. But that's exactly what she is now-a mere husk of what she used to be.

Until now, the painful truth still didn't make sense to Annabeth. It was like it was fragmented into a thousand unfamiliar words and jumbled to form a nonsensical sentence. The right words refused to connect in her mind even though the mere absence of a hand holding hers was enough proof that he really was gone. Percy Jackson was well and truly gone.

Annabeth remembered the time Percy went missing trying to give her time to escape Mount St. Helens after the telekhines found them. He was gone for weeks, and she almost followed him to the Underworld in worry. Looking back, Annabeth realized that was nothing compared to the gnawing finality clawing in her chest right now. To her, it was like she's never felt true pain before this. All the little things she suffered and endured for most of her life as a demigod dimmed in comparison to that stark ache in her chest that she couldn't relieve in any way.

"Just let it go, Wise Girl," she imagined Percy telling her. "You worry too much."

The dam broke and she cried until her eyes hurt and she can shed no more tears. Annabeth heard a heart-wrenching sound she didn't recognize. Then she belatedly realized it was _her_ making that sound. Annabeth desperately willed herself to stop it. Logic told her that there was no use crying over spilt milk.

_Percy had made his choice. He made the hard decision so he can save at least one of them. He willingly stayed behind in Tartarus to push the button for twelve minutes._

_Annabeth was more than willing to stay until they found another way. It was her job to make the moves, to plan even further ahead. But he countered saying that the world needed saving again. "The prophecy needs seven demigods, Wise Girl," he smiled at her grimly. "There's Jason and Piper, Frank and Hazel, and Leo. Nico's still there, assuming he honors his promise." he rationalized, muttering something incoherent that oddly sounded like 'forgot to make him swear on the Styx'. "They need one other demigod, Annabeth," he continued. "I'd rather it was you."_

_"But-"_

_Percy hindered any more words from Annabeth by pressing his lips firmly on hers. She responded immediately, kissing him just as hungrily as he did. The kiss was made even more passionate by the fact that this was probably their last._

_The sea god's son broke the kiss a little too soon. "If I go back there without you, I'd never finish the quest. You know my fatal flaw. I can't do it. But you...you can put aside your own emotions to be replaced by logic. It's an Athena thing."_

_Before Annabeth could think of a logical response, Bob the Titan interrupted them. "We need to go now."_

_It was a whirlwind of action from then on. Annabeth and Percy cut the chains holding doen the Doors of Death while Bob kept busy the two Titans guarding them by talking. Chaos fell on the little group as the monsters realized what was happening. Bob took on Krios while Percy taunted at Hyperion to get him away from the Doors. Annabeth slipped inside as according to plan._

_Percy and Bob fought valiantly. They were both swamped with monsters all the while avoiding two Titans as well. Finally, Annabeth couldn't take it anymore and she tried to help. Noticing this with alarm in his sea green eyes, Percy called out to Bob. "Bob, cover me!"_

_He then rushed to the Doors and pushed Annabeth inside again. By this time, Annabeth didn't care for composure anymore. She cried for Percy to just come with her. If Bob didn't manage to push the button for twelve minutes, they'd cross that bridge when they get to it._

_"No," Percy answered in a rush. "Your mom thinks I can't put a quest above ny loyalty, but I'll prove her wrong. You need to go to make sure we win. Hold the doors close." Without batting an eye, Percy jabbed a finger to the button._

_The last thing Annabeth saw was her boyfriend with Riptide too far away from him, getting skewered by a monster's claws. She watched in horror as too much blood seeped into the front of his shirt and yet he kept a finger firmly on the button. He caught her eye and mouthed three words, "I love you."_

With another choked back sob, Annabeth stood unevenly on the coast. Her very unpoisoned breath was a gift from the sea god's son. Remembering all the moments they had, especially the last, was like a dagger being twisted in her heart, but Annabeth swore that she will never forget, even if remembering meant never being rid of the aching in her chest. She'll always remember Perseus Jackson, the only demigod who had ever made her heart beat. She swore it on the River Styx.


	2. Grover the Protector

**A/N: Sooooo. It's a weekend and I'm swamped with homeworks, but there's a really terrible storm right now and I'm guessing school will be cancelled by Monday, so I started working on another point of view for this fic. I'm not really sure about the info I wrote here, but since it **_**is**_** a fanfiction, I suppose I'm entitled. Hope you guys enjoy! R&R, yes?**

**Disclaimer: Y'all know I don't own PJO and HOO. Rick Riordan, lucky bastard, owns them all.**

**Grover the Protector**

People come and go. They can enter your life to brighten it up the first split second and leave you blinded the next. It's just one of the the hardest things to accept about the harsh realities of mortal life.

The teenage-looking satyr should know since, despite looking like someone who just recently had a spurt growth hitting puberty, he was actually somewhere in his mid-thirties. But still, none of that really registered in his head. He should probably be doing a casualty count right now or helping the dryads and the other nymphs settle back down, being a Cloven Elder and all, but he couldn't even make himself look at the fire burning in front of him, much less tear his gaze away from a certian blonde, gray-eyed demigod standing beside him.

Grover Underwood worried about Annabeth. Her eyes were bloodshot, her cheeks flushed bright pink uncharacteristically. Ever since she returned home from the war, she's done nothing but sit on the banks of Long Island beach for hours on end, just staring at the endless waves rolling over the coast and the naiads and hippocampi watching her, but clearly she was seeing none of it.

Right now was her first public appearance in weeks, and she looked like a total wreck. Gone was the usual level-headed Athena Cabin's Head Counselor, only to be replaced by a heartbroken war-hardened teenager mourning a great loss.

The satyr knew _he_ wouldn't like Annabeth to be like this. Grover shook his head, unable to even think of the name of the one person he ever thought of as his best friend without his heart breaking all over again, the one who stuck with him even as he pitied what a poor protector he was. _Is_, he corrected himself bitterly, realizing with a painful jolt that anyone he's ever brought to Camp Half-Blood was now gone, except Annabeth. And Nico. But Hades' son had decided for himself, so he warranted that that wasn't exactly his fault.

First, he lost Thalia, daughter of Zeus, right on the borders of Camp Half-Blood. She was turned into a tree by her father, sure, to preserve her, and later on revived by the Golden Fleece but that didn't relieve Grover from all those years of living with guilt. Annabeth and Luke were safe inside the camp, but never in a million years did it occur to Grover that Luke would betray them. Thankfully, he had Percy's friendship by then to save him from his own guilt and cowardice. And now he didn't.

_Percy_, he thought forlornly, rolling the name inside his head. Names had powers, he knew, and maybe, just maybe, right now, the empathy link would work and his best friend would hear him. _Percy_, he repeated, _I'm so sorry. I should've been there to help. I'm your protector, and I failed yet again, I'm sorry._

For a minute there, Grover thought he could hear Percy comforting him, encouraging him just as he used to do always. He felt burning in his eyes, imagining the fire in front of him searing right into his eye sockets. That's when he heard the voice inside his head. The words didn't make much sense, and he couldn't recognize the voice like he was trying to hear underwater. The connection was broken here and there, but a few fragments he did understand.

_"...not apologies...not a failure...best protector ever...best buddy, Grover..."_

Grover listened more intently, now certain as to who the voice belonged to. He focused all his satyr energy into the connection and got a better reception. _"Don't blame yourself. You were right where I needed you to be. It was my decision to stay behind. There's just one thing I'm asking of you now, and I hope to the gods you can understand me right now..."_

Grover heard Percy's voice falter a little, and he was sure he didn't imagine that sharp intake of breath. _"Percy," _he began, but he was cut off instantly.

_"No time to explain, but I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna last a second longer, and neither will this link. It won't hurt you once I'm really gone, will it?" _Percy didn't wait for an answer._ "I need you to take care of Annabeth for me, Grover. There's no one I trust more than you. Thanks for everything, bro. Say hi to the campers for me. Tell Chiron... Tell him I'm sorry."_

This time, the satyr was positive that Percy was hurting real bad and he can only imagine what's happening to him in Tartarus. All of a sudden, there was a glimmer and a bright burst of white light. Grover literally felt the empathy link break, signaling what he feared the most. He couldn't hold it in any longer and he wailed all the peny up grief.

Grover briefly thought about all the eyes watching him as he broke down. Even the dryads and the harpies peeked in from the forest, but no one dared come close to Grover. Annabeth, who was right beside him, just clenched her jaw tight and forced herself to look away. She had enough trouble dealing with the tears threatening to fall again without one of her friends openly crying in front of her.

Chiron, who was given the honor of burning the shroud the naiads made for the son of the sea god (both Tyson and Annabeth had refused to do it, claiming that they couldn't possibly make that final act that made this all too real), stopped dead on his tracks. The air around the group was a mix of gloominess and surprise.

"He's gone!" Grover moaned, much to the shock of everyone present.

"We all _know_ that, Grover."

Centaur and demigods were all surprised to hear Annabeth speak. She hasn't talked to anyone besides a few ocassional words to answer questions. She spoke with so much coldness and malice that they didn't even realize at once that it was she who has spoken.

Grover trembled slightly in fear, but he knew everyone who looked up to Percy had the right to know, especially Annabeth. "N-no," he stuttered. "I mean, he's really _gone_." Grover couldn't bring himself to say the right word that would convey his meaning better.

"How did you know that?" Chiron inquired.

A flash of pain in Annabeth's stormy eyes didn't escape the satyr, but he had to say what he knew. For once, he had to gather himself and stand up on his own. "Our empathy link is broken," he whispered solemnly.

The other satyrs gasped in surprise. Most demigods didn't understand how that could mean Percy is truly gone, but Annabeth did. She knew that if it broke, then that would mean that either one of the two connected have perished.

"I'm sorry," Grover murmures, apologizing like it was somehow his fault the link broke. When Annabeth's eyes turned glassy and she didn't respond, the other demigods just realizing what he meant and Chiron looking speechless for once, Grover ran into the forest to escape it all without bothering to look where he was going.

**A/N: And that's it. Whaddya guys think? Up next is Jason's POV, I think. I'm quite literally drained after writing this, so it won't be anytime soon for the next installment. See you guys when I see you!**


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